Biological samples may be used for a variety of reasons in conjunction with an associated organ or tissue that is being stored, transported, assessed and/or treated in a perfusion apparatus. Typically, biological samples are transported at the same time as the organ or tissue but the samples and the organ or tissue are not cooled simultaneously at the same temperature within a single apparatus. Documents such as medical records relating to each of the biological samples and the organ or tissue are typically transported in separate devices.
The practice of storing or transporting organs or tissue, biological samples and documents associated with the organs or tissues may suffer certain shortfalls. When biological samples and documents relating to an organ or tissue are separately stored and/or transported from the organ or tissue, the likelihood that they may be misplaced, misassociated and/or damaged is increased. If documents for the organ or tissue are lost or cannot be correlated with the organ or tissue with certainty, then a doctor or clinician may refuse to transplant the organ or tissue to a recipient or otherwise use the organ or tissue. If the documents are lost or cannot be correlated to the organ or tissue or biological sample, results from any testing or use of the biological samples, organ or tissue may be invalid or disregarded.
The practice of storing or transporting biological samples with an organ or tissue also suffers certain deficiencies. Some biological samples need to be handled to maintain viability in a similar manner as an organ or tissue. For example, sterility and temperature requirements may be required for the organ or tissue and the biological samples. Thus, an efficient and more effective means of cooling a biological sample simultaneously with an organ or tissue is desired.